Model Spy

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“Model Spy”
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode
Episode no. Season 1
Episode 14
Written by Bill Hedley
Directed by Ken Turner
Production no. 18
Original airdate December 29, 1967
Episode chronology
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"Point 783" "Seek and Destroy"
List of Captain Scarlet episodes

"Model Spy" is the 14th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet. It was the 18th episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was December 29, 1967 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Bill Hedley and directed by Ken Turner.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The Mysterons threaten to kill a French agent posing as a fashion designer. Scarlet, Blue, Destiny and Symphony go undercover to protect the target, but will Andre Verdain's own models present a greater hazard than Captain Black?

[edit] Plot

Two fashion models, Helga and Gabrielle, are discussing their careers on a train journey to Monte Carlo. Suddenly, the carriages start to shake violently and the train derails, crashing onto the rocky hillside below. The Mysteron rings pan over the bodies of the dead women and their reconstructions appear on the ledge above.

Transmitting to Earth, the Mysterons threaten to kill Andre Verdain, an obscure French fashion designer. The Cloudbase personnel are baffled by their choice of target. Meanwhile, at the House of Verdain in Monte Carlo, the intended victim is horrified by the train crash. The reconstructed Helga and Gabrielle say that they decided to fly out at the last minute and just avoided being on the train. Verdain tells the women that he has lots of clothes for them to model and urges them to forget the accident. Menacingly, Helga reassures her boss that they know what they must do.

On Cloudbase, Colonel White reveals that Verdain is in fact an undercover agent. He controls operations from Paris and the entire European Area Intelligence Service would collapse if he were assassinated. Furthermore, an operative resembling Captain Black has been seen working in Europe, and Verdain is due to host a fashion show in Monte Carlo next week. Captains Scarlet and Blue and Destiny and Symphony Angels prepare for a covert assignment to protect Verdain without breaking his cover: Scarlet will pose as a PR officer, Blue as a photographer, and Destiny and Symphony as models attached to the House.

The Spectrum party arrive at Verdain's offices in discreet outfits. Scarlet explains that they hoped to fly to Paris, but fog forced them to land direct at Monte Carlo. Verdain is anxious not to have his cover broken and is uncertain of the need for bodyguards, but Scarlet insists that they must carry out their orders.

The next day, Verdain is enjoying an outing onboard his pleasure yacht with some of his models. Helga requests a trip around the bay and Gabrielle heads for her cabin to look for something. Scarlet is suspicious of her leading questions and orders Symphony to follow her. However, Helga distracts the Angel, buying Gabrielle enough time to open a fuel release in the Engine Room.

Verdain speeds the yacht away from the coast, unaware that the leaking fuel is causing the motors to smoke. Eventually it ignites and the smell alerts Scarlet to the fumes escaping from the Engine Room. Scarlet orders everyone to abandon ship while he takes the vessel out the sea. He jumps from the ship just before it explodes.

The next day, at the House of Verdain, Scarlet insists that the fire was a deliberate attempt on the Frenchman's life. Although their Mysteron Detector went down with the yacht, he believes that Gabrielle was near the Engine Room at the start of the blaze. Verdain accepts that it will be dangerous to hold the reception that night, but considers it likely that Captain Black will attend and rejects Scarlet's advice to postpone it.

At the cocktail party prior to the show, Scarlet slips a homing drug into Verdain's drink so that he and his colleagues will always know his location. Meanwhile, Captain Black lowers himself from the roof of the building on a platform. Blue reports that Symphony has not seen Black arrive and Gabrielle starts a conversation with Scarlet. The Captain is about to question her claim that she flew from Paris even though the airport was fogbound when Verdain addresses his guests. Suddenly, Scarlet spots Black aiming a rifle through the open window and Helga switches off the lights as Verdain is shot with a tranquilliser dart. Black and Helga escape on the platform with their unconscious victim in the resulting confusion. They then speed away in a car.

The lights are finally turned back on and Scarlet confronts Gabrielle, dismissing her travel statement. The Captain sets off after Black's vehicle in a convertible while Blue requisitions an SPV and Destiny and Symphony a helicopter. The Angels track Verdain's homing device and guide Scarlet to the appropriate road, but Black drops an explosive charge in his enemy's path and Scarlet crashes. However, he is hardly injured and is picked up by Blue. Black and Helga intend to take their hostage to an island but observe that the police have set up a roadblock at the end of a tunnel. Helga pushes Verdain out through the car window and the Mysteron agents stop. Verdain regains consciousness in the road just in time to see his attackers' car vanish with a whooshing sound. The SPV arrives and Scarlet states that the Mysterons have powers beyond human comprehension.

Back at the House, Verdain thanks the Spectrum personnel. He then presents Destiny and Symphony with exquisite gowns courtesy of the House of Verdain.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Regular Voice Cast

[edit] Guest Voice Cast

[edit] Goofs

  • Gabrielle's fate is unresolved by the end of the episode.

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

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